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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29252748">Chasing Butterflies</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jardinsdeminuit/pseuds/jardinsdeminuit'>jardinsdeminuit</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Heart no Kuni no Alice | Alice in the Country of Hearts, ジョーカーの国のアリス | Joker no Kuni no Alice | Alice in the Country of Joker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:53:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,706</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29252748</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jardinsdeminuit/pseuds/jardinsdeminuit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Anna has been working as an assistant to the Jokers for as long as she can remember, assisting White with the outfits for the Circus while helping Black keep order in the Prison. But their relationship isn't as simple as it seems. Anna has feelings for Black, and she doesn't know how to go about telling him, especially with Blood trying to stir up trouble where he can. Will Anna decide to express her feelings, or accept that some love is better left unrequited?</p><p>(A series of fics written for a friend!)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blood Dupre/Alice Liddell, Joker (Heart no Kuni no Alice)/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooHappy18/gifts">TooHappy18</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>As stated in the description, these fics are for TooHappy18 featuring her OC Anna, who I absolutely love. Joker was never a character I was interested in before, but writing these fics has definitely changed that! Since each chapter is its own story (though each follows on from the one before), I'm going to include a mini summary at the beginning of every one. Also, please note that the rating/tags may change in the future depending on the content of future chapters.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Anna finds herself caught in a crossfire while handing out flyers for the Circus. Black finds something he wasn't supposed to see.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">The sound of bullets greeted Anna long before she spotted the high walls of the Hatter Mansion. By the time she reached the gates, the noise was so loud, she thought her ears might burst.</p><p class="western">The source came from just inside the gates, where the Mafia were facing off against a handful of faceless. Judging by their red chequered uniforms, they'd been sent by Heart Castle. Anna sighed. She'd never been ovely involved with the pointless territory disputes that constantly broke out across the country, so it was rare for her to see one up close like this. She paused, wondering whether it would be safer to come back later, but the thought of making the long journey again encouraged her to take the risk.</p><p class="western">Making sure to keep her head low, Anna slipped into the garden and looked around. As expected, the fight seemed to be in the favour of the Mafia. Blood crouched behind a low ornamental wall on the right, while Elliot leaned around one of the fountains, firing off his handgun every few seconds. The enemy faceless took cover where they could, though going by the handful already lying motionless across the grass, the tactic wasn't working too well for them.</p><p class="western">Anna's eyes suddenly fell upon a familiar figure kneeling behind a bush up ahead, hands clasped over her ears. She dashed over, swung behind the and crouched down beside her.</p><p class="western">“Anna?” Alice's eyes widened as she turned her head. “What are you doing here?”</p><p class="western">Before Anna could answer, a round of rapid fire pierced the air. She looked over to see Blood emptying a clip of bullets from his machine gun into a faceless who'd raised his head just a little too far from his hiding spot. She felt Alice tense beside her at the violence.</p><p class="western">“You shouldn't be here. It's not safe,” said Anna. While she was sure none of the residents of this world would intentionally shoot at the Outsider, she'd seen far too many faceless injured or killed by stray bullets from fights they weren't even involved in.</p><p class="western">“They started firing suddenly,” said Alice. “I had nowhere to go.”</p><p class="western">Anna glanced around for somewhere better to take cover. They could always go back to the gates and wait outside the walls, but that would leave them exposed until they got there. In the end, she motioned for Alice to sit behind her, which she did reluntantly.</p><p class="western">After all, Anna was a role-holder. She'd come back if she were struck by a bullet. Alice, on the other hand, would not.</p><p class="western">Several hectic minutes passed until Elliot gunned down the last faceless and brought an end to the fight. After double checking that the coast was clear, Anna rose to her feet and pulled Alice up beside her. The faint but unmistakeably acrid smell of gunpowder lingered in the air.</p><p class="western">Elliot stood up from the fountain and stretched out his back. The gun in his hand disappeared in a flash of light. “I almost thought they had us, there. Talk about an ambush.”</p><p class="western">“Technically, that was a raid.” Blood walked over to his right-hand man, brushing a few strands of grass from his knees as he did so. Then he turned his head and smiled. “Welcome back, young lady. And it seems we have a visitor from another territory.”</p><p class="western">Anna made no effort to hide her grimace as she and Alice approached the pair of men. She opened her mouth to speak, but Alice quickly rushed towards Blood and asked, “Are you hurt?”</p><p class="western">Blood chuckled softly. “You must think very lowly of my abilities if you believe I'd ever be injured by this kind of riff-raff.”</p><p class="western">“You could have just said 'no',” said Alice with a roll of her eyes.</p><p class="western">For a while now, Alice had been living with the Hatters. While she'd never minded Elliot and the Bloody Twins, Anna had no idea how she could stay in the same place as Blood. There was something about the man that made her blood boil, whether it was the self-serving smirk that seemed to be a permanent fixture on his face or his clumsy attempts at cosying up to her that he probably thought were extremely smooth.</p><p class="western">As if reading Anna's mind, Blood raised an eyebrow. “Why the sour face, dear? If working for the Jokers has become too much of a miserable affair, I'm sure I could find you employment in my mansion. I have a job in mind for you <em>personally</em>.”</p><p class="western">Once again, Anna found herself grimacing. A look to the side told her that Alice hadn't missed the double meaning in his words, either.</p><p class="western">“Stop being vile, Blood,” Alice snapped.</p><p class="western">Before he could reply, Anna reached into her pocket, removed a flyer and shoved into the Hatter's chest. “Here.”</p><p class="western">Clearly taken aback by her attitude, Blood looked down at the paper in her hands. He clicked his tongue. “The Circus. So, Joker's finally doing something with the spectacle he's been parading up and down the streets for goodness knows how long.”</p><p class="western">“We're ready to open, yes,” said Anna coolly. “You have to be there for it. All the role-holders do. It's the rules.”</p><p class="western">“Don't worry. We'll be there.” Blood handed the flyer to Elliot, who looked it over with interested eyes. Now that his mood had gone sour, the Hatter adjusted his collar and turned to walk back to the mansion. “Tell Joker I accept his invitation with the greatest reluctance.”</p><p class="western">Alice took Anna's hand in her own and gave her an apologetic look, as if his behaviour were somehow her fault. There was something else in her expression, too, that took Anna off guard. Hurt, perhaps? Blood had flirted in front of her, after all.</p><p class="western">Could it be that Alice held feelings for Blood? It would explain why she was living in this territory. All at once, Anna felt a pang of guilt.</p><p class="western">“The Circus, huh...?” Elliot was still staring at the flyer in his hand. “Do you have those trapeze artists from last time? They were really good.”</p><p class="western">“Yes, we do,” said Anna, before turning and walking back to the gate. It wasn't fair to be rude to Elliot, but like always, Blood had left her on edge. She didn't want to spend a minute more in this territory than she had to.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">*</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“Seventeen.”</p><p class="western">Anna stood before the cell that Black Joker was peering into and made a tally in the notepad she held in her hands. As usual, she made sure to keep her distance from the prisoner crouched in the darkness.</p><p class="western">They moved onto the next cell, Black's heavy boots clicking against the stone floor of the prison. The faceless in this one was already waiting for them with his hands wrapped around the bars. If he'd had eyes, Anna was sure they'd be as wide as saucers right now.</p><p class="western">“Please,” he begged. “I-I don't belong here. You have to let me out.”</p><p class="western">“Shut up,” Black growled.</p><p class="western">Anna marked another tally in her notepad. Most prisoners who were sentenced here accepted their fate well enough, but every so often, someone would break down like this. Anna had never seen this faceless before, so she could only assume he was new.</p><p class="western">Undeterred by Black's order to stay quiet, the man turned his face to Anna. “You can help me, can't you? I'll make it worth your time. I—”</p><p class="western">Black kicked the bars, cutting the man off mid-sentence. “Oi, I told you to <em>shut the hell up</em>.”</p><p class="western">Anna tried to avoid looking at the man as she followed Black to the next cell. She didn't blame prisoners for trying to bribe her. With her long blonde hair, blue eyes and petite stature, she was well aware that she came across as soft-looking, especially when standing next to someone who looked like Black. But carrying out her role as assistant to the Jokers had left her with an indifference that even the most wretched of prisoners couldn't penetrate, even if she occasionally did feel sorry for them.</p><p class="western">Plus, today her mind was elsewhere.</p><p class="western">She stole a glance at Black. For a while now, she'd felt strange around him. Nervous, even, though she wouldn't describe the feeling as unpleasant. Up until recently, she'd thought little of it, passing it off as normal emotions towards someone she spent a lot of time with, but now she was starting to suspect it might be something more. While Black was objectively the more... unpleasant of her two bosses, there was something about his personality that drew her towards him. Of course, she hadn't said anything so far, instead relying on hints: a smile here, a lingering glance there. Nothing too obvious, of course. Unlike a certain Hatter, she wasn't a natural-born flirt.</p><p class="western">Her heart fell as she thought back to the scene outside the mansion earlier. Anyone could see from her reaction that Alice held feelings for Blood (though how anyone could fall for that man, Anna still wasn't sure), and yet he'd still made a pass at Anna in front of her. Was it a tactic, she wondered, to force Alice into spilling her feelings for him, or did he genuinely not care? Either way, the look of hurt on Alice's face refused to leave Anna's mind, filling her with guilt over something she hadn't even done.</p><p class="western">“Anna?”</p><p class="western">Black's voice snapped her from her thoughts. They'd finished counting up the prisoners, at last. “Sorry. Twenty-three in total.”</p><p class="western">“Really? I counted twenty-four.”</p><p class="western">Anna frowned and looked back down at her notepad. “Really?”</p><p class="western">“No. But it proves how little you were concentrating.”</p><p class="western">Making sure to avoid Black's glare, Anna shook her head and muttered an apology. “My mind's been elsewhere today.”</p><p class="western">“Well, if you can't keep your attention where it's needed, then feel free to leave. We still have preparations before the Circus, and I don't need an assistant who's going to hold me back.”</p><p class="western">Anna bit her lip. She might be more than used to Black's scolding nowadays, but right now, his words were cutting deeper than usual. Just once, she wanted him to ask her what the matter was, or thank her for the help she gave him. Kindness had never been his speciality.</p><p class="western">With a sigh, Black changed the subject. “White needs those final costume designs, if you have them.”</p><p class="western">It always sounded strange to hear Black referring to White Joker in third person, given that they were essentially the same being. Anna always liked to imagine them as two sides of the same coin.</p><p class="western">“I finished them today,” she muttered, turning the page of her notepad to display a colourful sketch of a gymnast's leotard. Aside from helping Black in the prison, this was the main demand of her role. Everything the Circus performers wore, from the jugglers' shoes to the earrings that hung from the firebreathers' ears, was her own design.</p><p class="western">Black held his hand out for the notepad, which Anna passed over. He flicked through the pages with disinterest until he reached one of the last pages. He stared at it for a moment, brought it closer to his face and frowned. Then he turned it around so that Anna could see. Her heart dropped.</p><p class="western">It was a sketch of Black. His outfit more or less resembled his prison warden's uniform, but with a few changes: his black jacket had been lifted with shades of green, and instead of his regular heavy boots, he'd been given a more casual, softer pair, trimmed with the same green pattern. Anna owned several notepads that she spread her work across. She'd completely forgotten this was the one she'd drawn that particular sketch in.</p><p class="western">“I-it was just for fun,” she stammered. “You know, in case you ever got bored of the same uniform all the time.” Heat was already beginning to spread across her cheeks.</p><p class="western">Black snorted humourlessly and handed her back the notepad. “It's ridiculous.”</p><p class="western">Amid her embarrassment rose a stab of anger. Before she could stop herself, she whispered, “Why do you have to be like that?”</p><p class="western">“Hm?” Black lifted an eyebrow, challenging her.</p><p class="western">“Yes, it's a little stupid. You don't have to like it. But you don't have to be rude to me.” Anna wasn't sure whether it was the frustration already running through her or Black's indifference that fuelled her words more. “Don't you ever just—”</p><p class="western">“Keep your voice down,” the man hissed, grabbing her by the chin. The eye that wasn't hidden behind his eyepatch darted around the room, checking whether any of the prisoners were taking notice of their argument or not.</p><p class="western">But Anna no longer cared. It was as if floodgates had opened inside her, letting out all the emotions she'd been holding in so long. Only it was far from the way she'd expected. She batted his hand away and looked up at him, squaring her shoulders to counteract her short stature. “Blood more or less invited me to his bed today. <em>Again.</em> Do you care?”</p><p class="western">“So long as it doesn't interfere with your role, why would I care who you sleep with?” said Black with a shrug.</p><p class="western">Anna felt like a dagger had been driven into her side. She'd have expected Black to act at least a little shocked at the news, but his face showed little sign of emotion.</p><p class="western">Was it that after all this time, all her hints, he really felt nothing for her?</p><p class="western">Tears had begun to leak from Anna's eyes. Not wanting Black to see her face, she turned and ran from him, gripping her notepad hard in her arms.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">*</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The sound of excitable chatter filled the air at the front of the Circus tent, where a long line of visitors waited for the doors to open.</p><p class="western">“Are you ready?” White flashed Anna a stern look.</p><p class="western">She nodded. Since her altercation with Black, she hadn't visited him once and done her best to avoid White, instead pouring all her energy into helping the faceless finish the Circus preparations. Technically, it wasn't part of her role, but she needed something to keep her mind busy. It had worked for a while, but then memories of her embarrassment had slowly returned, and before long, it had become all she could think about, no matter how busy her hands were.</p><p class="western">Now, on the opening day of the Circus, she knew she had one task: not to let her sour mood show through. White would never forgive her if she did.</p><p class="western">They approached the tent flap together. White gave her one last warning glance before pushing it open, exposing the long line of visitors outside.</p><p class="western">It always amazed her how easily White could transform from the boss she knew to a top class showman in moments. He stood at the head of the line, arms dancing in wild motions as he welcomed the guests to the Circus while Anna took their tickets and directed them inside. The first few people were faceless, but it wasn't long before she spotted a familiar pair of golden hare ears rising above the rest of the heads.</p><p class="western">She held her breath as the Hatter Family approached her. Blood and Alice led the way, followed by Elliot, and finally the Bloody Twins, who'd changed into red and blue suits and were chattering to one another animatedly.</p><p class="western">“We're so happy to see you here, Alice,” said White, taking her hand in his own and kissing the back of it.</p><p class="western">Alice flushed pink. “Thank you.”</p><p class="western">As he gave her the tickets, Blood smiled at Anna. “I'm happy to see <em>you</em> here, too.”</p><p class="western">Determined not to let him drag her mood down further, Anna tore off the end of the tickets and handed them back without a word.</p><p class="western">“You look upset,” said Blood, his tone heavy with taunting. “Did something happen?”</p><p class="western">“It's none of your business,” Anna said bluntly.</p><p class="western">“Why don't we make it my business? You and I—“</p><p class="western">His words were cut off by a swift elbow to the ribs. Alice glared up at him. “Oh, shut up, Blood, for once in your life.”</p><p class="western">The Hatter looked at her with wide eyes. Anna had never seen him so shocked in her life. She had to look away to keep from laughing.</p><p class="western">When she turned back, Alice had already started to lead Blood off, though she didn't miss the sparkle of triumph in the Outsider's eyes when she glanced back. Anna smiled at her gratefully.</p><p class="western">It was only later on, watching from her usual spot at the sidelines, that Anna realised she finally felt a little better. Despite the amount of times she'd seen the performance in front of her, she always enjoyed watching the Circus. It was the final result of hers and Joker's hard work, an explosion of colours and acts pulled off by the faceless who worked with them.</p><p class="western">And there, in the middle of it all, White stood in his ringmaster's uniform. He truly was a talent, dancing from one side of the ring to the other, whipping up excitement from the crowd with movements so smooth and well-timed, it rivalled those of the trapeze artists that swung overhead.</p><p class="western">He was so much like Black to look at. Their faces were practically identical. And yet, the pair were different in so many ways. As Anna watched White lead the performance, she found herself wondering, for the thousandth time since their argument, what Black was up to right now.</p><p class="western">“Anna.”</p><p class="western">The sudden voice made her jump. She turned and looked up into a familiar face. Her heart leaped to her throat.</p><p class="western">Black took his place by her side. It was so rare to see him out of the prison that Anna thought she might be daydreaming. But the longer he stood there, the more she accepted that what she was seeing was real.</p><p class="western">For a while, neither of them said anything. Then, finally, Anna asked, “What are you doing here?”</p><p class="western">“I came to watch the Circus,” mumbled Black, though his tone suggested that wasn't the entire truth. He sighed. “And... I came to make sure you were okay.”</p><p class="western">“I'm fine,” said Anna.</p><p class="western">Black nodded. “Good.”</p><p class="western">A plume of fire rose up from the centre of the ring, blasting Anna's face with heat and drawing a gasp from the audience. She watched the firebreathing performer who'd created it ready herself for a second round.</p><p class="western">Turning her eyes to Black again, Anna noticed something that made her frown. “Your tie.”</p><p class="western">The man looked down, as if only just noticing the fact he'd replaced his usual black and gold tie with a green one. “I thought I'd try something different for the occasion. What do you think?”</p><p class="western">Anna was so shocked, she found herself smiling despite her nerves. “It suits you.”</p><p class="western">“Hm. I thought the same.”</p><p class="western">The image of the outfit she'd designed Black in her notepad appeared in Anna's head, and she felt her smile grow wider. It was strange to have him act so kindly to her. But perhaps it was his way of apologising for calling her idea ridiculous.</p><p class="western">Or maybe, just maybe, he was trying to say something more.</p><p class="western">Slowly, Black wrapped an arm around Anna's head, leaned over and placed a small kiss in her hair. It was a sweet, simple gesture, but it left her head spinning. Black seemed satisfied with her reaction, as a rare smile lifted the corner of his lips.</p><p class="western">Before he could withdraw his arm completely, Anna slipped her own around his elbow and squeezed, locking the pair of them together. Black sighed, but made no effort to pull away.</p><p class="western">She may have run away from the Hatter Mansion and the prison, but as Anna stood there, feeling Black's warmth and watching the show in front of her, she felt confident that for the first time in a long time, there was nowhere she'd rather be than where she was right now.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Anna helps Alice out of a tough spot, earning herself a lecture from Black for interfering. Blood and Alice come up with a plan to earn back her boss's favour.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">Rays of noon sun streamed down through the treetops, speckling the forest floor with yellow light and making the dust motes in the air sparkle. Alice walked along the path, blissfully unaware that she was being watched.</p><p class="western">Like all of her fellow role-holders, Anna was able to slightly manipulate her surroundings to suit her needs. In this case, she made sure to cover herself so as to remain unseen as she tailed the Outsider. It wasn't perfect: the magic only drew Alice's attention away from her instead of making her completely invisibible. If Alice peered through the trees to her left, there was every chance she'd catch a glimpse of Anna. Luckily, she hadn't decided to so far.</p><p class="western">Not that there was anything wrong with Anna being out here. Watching was okay, so long as she didn't interfere. April Season was still upon Wonderland, and this was just the latest in a long line of games set out by Joker to test Alice, though like all things her did, Anna suspected it was as much for his own amusement as well. After all, how often was it that an Outsider appeared for him to toy with?</p><p class="western">It wasn't long before Alice reached a clearing in the forest. The surrounding trees were decorated with wooden arrows that pointed off in all directions, though what caught her attention were the three doors that stood before her. If not for their placement in the middle of the clearing, there would have been nothing spectacular about them. They weren't even labelled.</p><p class="western">Anna held her breath. This, she knew, was one of Joker's favourite games. Each door would lead Alice into a different dream. One would be blissful, the next surreal, and the final one a nightmare. Whichever one she ended up in was pure chance.</p><p class="western">She watched Alice walk around the clearing, inspecting the doors from each angle. Finally, she stood back, sighed and muttered something. She had to choose one of them. That was the rule. Walking forward, she placed a hand on the first door and stayed still, as if listening to something on the other side.</p><p class="western">Anna's heart leaped. She didn't know how, but something in her told her that the door Alice was touching led to the nightmare. While Anna didn't know much about Alice's past beyond the few details she'd told her, the thought of her friend being thrown into a horrible dream, especially one created by Joker's twisted hands, was too much for her to bear.</p><p class="western">The feeling of something brushing Anna's hand made her look down. A butterfly had landed on her finger. It opened and closed its sapphire wings, waiting for her command.</p><p class="western"><em>Don't interfere.</em> The words repeated themselves over and over in Anna's head. And yet when she looked up at Alice, she felt that same stab of anxiety. She couldn't let her friend suffer. Surely if she just pointed her in the right direction without holding her hand, it would be okay?</p><p class="western">Anna raised her finger to her lips and whispered to the butterfly, who flew off towards the clearing, catching Alice's attention at once. It completed a circuit around her before landing on the middle door. Alice raised her eyebrows and peered into the forest, though luckily, her eyes missed Anna, crouched in the bushes several yards away. Perhaps she'd worked out that someone was trying to guide her. Either way, she took the handle, opened it and stepped through, disappearing the thin air. The door swung shut behind her.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">*</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Anna's good mood continued all way back to the Circus. She'd always been an optimist beneath her down-to-earth exterior, and this week, the world had finally been treating her right. The opening night of the Circus had been a success, and she'd worked with White to set up every subsequent performance. It was only mandatory for role-holders to attend the first show, so the rest were mainly for the sake of the faceless, who packed into the tent in their hundreds every day. Though that wasn't to say there were no returning faces. Boris and Gowland had enthusiastically attended almost every performance. Clearly, their love of loud entertainment was as much a part of their personalities as their roles.</p><p class="western">What had really been a highlight for Anna was her new closeness with Black. From the outside, little had changed between them, but Anna could tell that since the night of the first Circus, his attitude towards her had softened. He no longer snapped his orders as readily, and while he was still as curt towards the prisoners and those around him, his voice often dropped when he spoke to Anna, as if he were making an effort to be kinder.</p><p class="western">Anna smiled to herself. 'Kind' and 'Black' were two words she never expected to think in the same sentence. She'd been wondering for a while now if she should confess her feelings to him, but of course, the fear of his reaction held her back. What if he turned her away? Ridiculed her? She'd never be able to live down the shame.</p><p class="western">For now, she was happy leaving things as they were. She was in no rush to confess to Black. Better to let things play out naturally than to force them.</p><p class="western">Anna yawned as she approached the Circus tent. It had turned from daytime to night during the walk. Usually, the time periods had little effect on her mood, but right now, she felt exhausted. She pulled back the tent flap and stepped inside. The sight that greeted her made her jump.</p><p class="western">Instead of the gaudy colours of the Circus, she was met with the Prison's oppressive monotone. She frowned and looked back over her shoulder, but the tent canvas was gone completely, replaced by the cells which stretched to the end of the long room. Up ahead of her stood a familiar figure. He wasn't alone.</p><p class="western">“Black,” she said, unable to keep the shock from her voice. “And... Ace.”</p><p class="western">The Knight smiled sweetly, though as usual, she could sense a menace beneath his cheerful countenance that sent shivers down her spine.</p><p class="western">“What do you think you're doing?” snapped Black. The eye that wasn't hidden beneath his patch stared daggers into her.</p><p class="western">“Huh?” Anna frowned. “What are you talking about?”</p><p class="western">“Take a guess.”</p><p class="western">The memory of sending out the butterfly to help Alice replayed in Anna's mind. But she'd been alone back then. There was no way she'd been seen. Unless...</p><p class="western">She passed her gaze to Ace, who raised his eyebrows knowingly. Had he spied on her and reported back to Joker? Anyone else she would have been able to spot easily. The Knight, on the other hand, was a master of concealing himself. She felt her heart sink.</p><p class="western">Ace's words confirmed her fears: “I saw you following Alice in the forest, sending your little butterfly out to help her.”</p><p class="western">“It wasn't 'helping'. I only guided her in the right direction,” she protested.</p><p class="western">“In a game that was meant for her and her only.” Black took a step forward, the heel of his boot clicking against the stone floor. “You intervened where it wasn't your place to do so.”</p><p class="western">Anna looked up into Black's face. While he was clearly making an effort to keep his voice low, he seemed utterly furious. Was it because he'd been robbed of his chance to send Alice into a nightmare? She knew that he had his sadistic streak. Toying with people was in his nature. But did he really just expect her to allow Alice to walk straight into a trap and not do anything?</p><p class="western">“I shouldn't have done it,” Anna mumbled. “But I did, and I would again. Alice is my friend.”</p><p class="western">“So, you would defy the rules to help her?”</p><p class="western">Black's words took Anna off guard. Going against the rules of this world was just about the worst thing a role-holder could do. The cells full of faceless who'd done so around them only added weight to the accusation. But she hadn't broken the rules, had she? Going against Joker's word she may well have done, but surely that didn't count as an official breach.</p><p class="western">Smirking, Ace began to saunter forward. “Well, I've played my part here. I'll let you two sort this one out on your own.” As he passed Anna, he bent down to her ear and whispered, “Good luck.” His tone was heavy with sarcasm.</p><p class="western">Anna grimaced. As if being in trouble with Black wasn't humiliating enough, now she had Ace gloating at her. Luckily, when she glanced over her shoulder, he'd disappeared.</p><p class="western">She turned back just in time for Black to grab her by the wrist and jerk her forward. He half-guided, half-dragged her between the cells until they'd reached the door at the end, which he threw open.</p><p class="western">Anna had only been in the room on the other side a couple of times. She supposed it served as a kind of study for Black, though the mess piling on the desk told her that he rarely used it for such a purpse. When the door had swung closed again, he let go of her wrist and towered above her.</p><p class="western">“Explain.” The word was ice on his lips.</p><p class="western">Anna swallowed back her fear. She'd been getting along so well with Black recently, she'd almost forgotten what it was like to be on the receiving end of his temper.</p><p class="western">“There's nothing to explain,” she said. “You know what I did and why I did it. That's all I have to say.”</p><p class="western">“You know you shouldn't be interfering with the Outsider during April Season. There's a reason she has to go through these tests.”</p><p class="western">Anna couldn't help but snort at his choice of words, earning her a furious glare. She quickly said, “I know that. It's just... I'm not sure it's completely necessary to keep tormenting her the way that you are.”</p><p class="western">She thought back to several time periods ago, when White had given Alice a sweet that had burnt her from the inside out and left her incapacitated for a number of hours. Thankfully, she'd been fine upon waking up. Anna remembered White laughing about it afterwards back in the Circus tent. That hadn't seemed like a test so much as an excuse to inflict pain on her for fun.</p><p class="western">Leaning back a little, Black sighed. “But it's not up to you to make the rules, is it, Anna? And it worries me that you would so readily disobey my instructions on this one matter when you're usually so attentive to your role.”</p><p class="western">Anna didn't miss the compliment wrapped up in his scolding, but it hardly made her feel better. She lowered her head, preferring to stare at the ground than meet his eye.</p><p class="western">“If I catch you meddling with these tests one more time, I'll remove you from your role.”</p><p class="western">Her head snapped up to stare at him. Surely he didn't have the power to do such a thing. “But you can't...” Her voice trailed off as she realised what he was talking about.</p><p class="western">Inprisonment.</p><p class="western">Joker had his own role to stick to, but the fact he'd even suggested such a punishment for something Anna still deemed a minor wrongdoing was ludicrous. A rare wave of anger prickled under her skin. She wanted to argue with him, tell him he was heartless for considering such a thing, but all that rose to the surface were tears.</p><p class="western">Seeing her reaction, Black's face fell a little. His tone was a little softer as he said, “You have so much potential, Anna. But every time I see you come to embrace your role, you manage to set yourself back. It's always in these silly little ways: getting over-emotional, or sticking your nose where it belongs.”</p><p class="western">He reached out a hand to place on Anna's shoulders, but she swiped it away before he could make contact. “Over-emotional?” Her voice shook. “Is that what you think of me? Just because I care for my friends and don't like to see them get hurt?”</p><p class="western">“Friends are weaknesses,” he said bluntly. “The sooner you learn that, the easier your life will become.”</p><p class="western">Anna couldn't believe what she was hearing. After the week she and Black had spent together, the changes she'd sensed in his attitude, his words felt like a deliberate jab at her heart.</p><p class="western">Well, she wasn't going to stand for it. Not today. With one final defiant look at Black, she turned and walked out of the little room, slamming the door shut behind her.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">*</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">The Hatter Mansion gates loomed above Anna as she emerged from the forest. The figures that sat on the walls either side peered down at her, axes brandished in their hands.</p><p class="western">“Oi, who goes there?” Dee called out.</p><p class="western">“You know who I am,” Anna called up, coming to a stop before the gates and placing her hands on her hips. “Let me in.”</p><p class="western">“No can do. You see, we're guarding these gates precisely to stop people like <em>you</em> from coming in,” said Dum.</p><p class="western">“Yeah, how do we know you haven't planned an attack or something?”</p><p class="western">Anna rolled her eyes. She'd walked here straight from the Prison. Her mood was already sour enough without having to deal with children.</p><p class="western">“I just want to speak to Alice,” she said. “Is that okay with you brats?”</p><p class="western">The Twins exchanged a look before pushing off from the wall and dropping to the ground one by one. Dum raised his axe and held the blade under Anna's chin, a smile on his face that reminded her of Ace back in the prison: innocent on the outside, but brimming with threat underneath.</p><p class="western">“I'm not sure I like your tone,” he said. “How do you expect to get inside if you can't even be respectful to us?”</p><p class="western">Anna tilted her chin up, trying not to let the weapon at her throat faze her. The Twins may be children no taller than her, but she'd seen them slice through faceless before with the skill of trained killers. The problem was, she couldn't work out if they were joking around right now or not.</p><p class="western">“Dee, Dum! What are you doing?”</p><p class="western">The voice turned all three pairs of eyes towards the mansion. Anna had been so preoccupied with the Twins that she hadn't noticed Alice walking along the path towards them, a look of horror on her face.</p><p class="western">Dum lowered his axe at once and shot her a light-hearted grin. “Nothing.”</p><p class="western">Clenching her jaw, Anna shouldered her way past Dum and approached the gates. “Can you get them to let me in?”</p><p class="western">Alice nodded and shot a glance at Dee, who sighed and tapped the gates with his knuckles. The double doors slowly swung open of their own accord.</p><p class="western">“No matter. We'll just have to play with you next time,” he said with a smile.</p><p class="western">Once inside the mansion, Alice took Anna through to the sitting room. She could count on one hand the amount of times she'd actually been inside these walls. The thought of running into Blood was usually enough to deter her, but according to Alice, he was out at the moment. Just as well. After the Twins' taunting, Anna was utterly at the limit of her temper.</p><p class="western">“Are you all right?” Alice asked her as they sat down either side of the coffee table in the middle of the room. “You look a little flushed.”</p><p class="western">“I'm fine,” said Anna. Then she sighed. Who was she kidding? The whole reason she'd come here was to speak to Alice. No point in brushing her off now.</p><p class="western">“Actually,” she said slowly, “I have a problem. It's Joker.”</p><p class="western">The Outsider raised an eyebrow, but overall, she didn't look surprised. “Black?”</p><p class="western">“Mm.” Anna stared down at her hands, cupped together in her lap. “I thought we were getting along, but I messed up. I... may have interfered in one of his games earlier on in the woods.”</p><p class="western">Alice paused as she realised what I was talking about. “The butterfly. That was you?”</p><p class="western">One of the best things about talking to Alice was that Anna rarely had to spell things out for her. She nodded. “I shouldn't have done it, but that game was a trap. The door you were going to choose would have sent you into a nightmare. Black told me I was wrong to intervene, and he's right, but I couldn't just watch you make that mistake.”</p><p class="western">“I don't remember much after going through the door,” said Alice. “Now that you mention it, I think I <em>did</em> have some kind of dream...” She placed a hand against her temple. “It was strange. Pleasant, I think, though I can't recall much of it now. I woke up in the woods near the mansion afterwards.”</p><p class="western">So, it seemed that Alice had had the blissful dream, after all. Anna opened her mouth to speak again, but her throat suddenly felt dry, as though something were sticking in it. She realised that she was on the verge of crying again. “I don't regret helping you. I'd do it again. But Black is absolutely livid with me. He threatened to take away my role and imprison me if I help you in the future.”</p><p class="western">Alice's eyes widened. “Can he even do that?”</p><p class="western">“I think so.” Anna wanted to tell Alice that what hurt more wasn't the threat itself, but the fact Black had used it against her so readily. She'd kept quiet about their closening relationship over the past week even to Alice, though the Outsider probably suspected from the way that she was acting now that something more had been going on. Why else would she be crying like this?</p><p class="western">Leaning forward, Alice said, “You shouldn't be risking your role to help me. I'm fine. I have my problems, but I'm happy here, and Joker's games aren't going to change that.”</p><p class="western">Despite the resolve in her voice, Anna could sense that Alice's words weren't entirely true. There were still some demons she held onto from her past. But if she insisted that she was happy, then Anna wasn't going to challenge her.</p><p class="western">The sound of a door opening stole their attention away. Blood walked into the room, hanging his hat on the hook beside the door as he did so. He raised an eyebrow as he saw the two women. “Anna. What a pleasant surprise.”</p><p class="western">Anna didn't bother holding back her grimace at seeing the Hatter, though she could hardly shoo him away. This was, after all, his home.</p><p class="western">“We're just talking about something,” said Alice.</p><p class="western">Despite the obvious hint in the her voice that they wanted to be alone, Blood sauntered over and sank down onto the sofa beside Alice. His hand rested on her thigh. To Anna's surprise, Alice didn't pull away. The simple but intimate gesture told her all she needed to know about how their relationship had progressed since the last time she'd seen them together.</p><p class="western">“Surely it wouldn't hurt to have a second opinion, hmm?” said Blood. “I'm quite a good listener, after all.”</p><p class="western">Sighing, Alice looked over at Anna, who nodded in defeat. She didn't have the energy to carry on this conversation somewhere else. Besides, Blood had a point. He might just be able to offer another perspective on her problem.</p><p class="western">She sat in silence as Alice recalled what she'd told her: the doors, the butterfly, Black's threat. When it was over, Blood leaned back on the sofa and grunted softly in thought. “Coming from someone who himself is wanted by Joker, I can tell you that man is all talk when it comes to confrontation.”</p><p class="western">Anna had almost forgotten that the Hatter was long overdue a prison sentence for breaking Elliot out of prison, though he'd managed to resist every attempt by Ace to capture him so far. She shook her head. “It's different for me. I work for Joker, and now he thinks I'm incompetent at my role.”</p><p class="western">Discussing this with the person she disliked most in this world seemed strange. Embarrassing, almost.</p><p class="western">“Well, then. You just need to prove to him that you can do your role better than anyone else. Unless...” Blood's lips curled up into a smile. “Could it be that this is about more than a simple working relationship?”</p><p class="western">Anna froze, but the sudden flush of her cheeks had already given her away. Blood clapped his hands together and laughed. “My, my. Joker <em>is</em> a lucky man to have someone pine for him in that way. In that case, the answer's simple. I'll perform a fake kidnapping on you. That way, he'll have to come and save you himself.”</p><p class="western">“What?” Anna couldn't believe the absurdity of the suggestion coming out of Blood's mouth. “Absolutely <em>not</em>.”</p><p class="western">“That isn't funny, Blood,” Alice scowled.</p><p class="western">The Hatter shrugged. “It wasn't a joke, but suit yourself.” He slapped his knees and stood up from the sofa. “I'll be upstairs if you need me.”</p><p class="western">“We won't,” snapped Anna as he walked away.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">*</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">She stayed at the Hatter Mansion that night, taking one of the sofas in the sitting room at Alice and Blood's request. At first, she'd refused the offer, but as the time to return to the Circus drew closer, a night away didn't seen so bad. Now, as she lay beneath the blanket Alice had given her, moonlight streaming in through the large window on the other side of the room, she found that no matter what she did, sleep just wouldn't come.</p><p class="western">The memory of her altercation with Black played over and over in her mind like a record on a loop. She couldn't stop thinking about the anger in his eyes, the way he'd dragged her through the prison and finally delivered the threat that even now shook her to her core. In his eyes, she was a failure. A liability. It wasn't fair that after all she'd done for him and White, the extra hours she'd put into helping with the Circus out of the kindness of her heart rather than the necessity of her role, he still treated her like a misbehaving child.</p><p class="western">Perhaps, she realised, he would always see her like that, no matter how much she tried to make him happy. The thought closed around her heart like a cold hand and squeezed until she felt sick.</p><p class="western">Anna had just rolled onto her side when she heard the door to the room creak. Her eyes flew open.</p><p class="western">“Anna?”</p><p class="western">She relaxed as the familiar voice called out to her. “I'm awake.”</p><p class="western">Alice made her way over, no more than a slight silhouette in the moonlit room. There was something off about her footsteps that made Anna sit up.</p><p class="western">“Are you all right?” she asked.</p><p class="western">Alice came to a stop at the end of the sofa, and as the light hit her face, Anna finally realised that something was wrong.</p><p class="western">“It's Blood.” Alice's eyes were alive with panic. “He's gone.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">*</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">Anna rarely visited the forests of Wonderland during night periods, and as she ran along with Alice in tow, she remembered why. The trees knitted together above their heads, branches twisting like crooked fingers that threatened to clamp down over them. But now wasn't the time to be scared. She had to keep moving, no matter what, before time ran out.</p><p class="western">She couldn't explain why she felt like she did. After all, Blood could be anywhere in this world. And yet, her instincts all pointed to one place. Just like she'd sensed that the door Alice had been about to choose would lead her to a nightmare, she was sure the Hatter had gone to the Prison.</p><p class="western">By the time the Circus tent appeared in the distance, Anna's lungs were burning. Alice, too, seemed to be struggling from the sounds of her breaths. Neither of their shoes were made for running, especially not on the forest path, but they'd done well to avoid falling down on the way. The only injury Anna had was a scratch along her right forearm, the result of a thorn bush that had been overhanging the trail.</p><p class="western">“Come on. This way,” she panted. There were several ways to enter the Prison, but the most reliable one lay up ahead. Grabbing onto Alice's wrist, she pulled her the last few steps to the tent, threw aside the flap and entered.</p><p class="western">The inside of the huge tent stood utterly still, gripped by an eerie silence compared to the ruckus that usually took over during the day. Anna led Alice past the stands to a small storage room. There, on the other side, stood a body-length mirror.</p><p class="western">“Here.” Anna had to bend over double to catch her breath. She couldn't remember the last time she'd run for so long. A thin layer of sweat stuck her hair to her forehead.</p><p class="western">Once her cheeks had cooled down a little and her breathing had become slightly more even, she walked over to the mirror. From the outside, it was just a normal piece of furniture, but Anna knew better. She laid a tentative hand on the glass and, taking a deep breath, pushed forward. Her fingers slid in as if she were dipping them in water.</p><p class="western">Alice's eyes widened. She'd been in Wonderland long enough to experience many strange and wonderful things that didn't exist in her world: clock hearts, shifting time periods, people with rabbit ears and cat tails. Yet Anna was certain she'd never seen anything like this.</p><p class="western">Anna pulled back her hand and gestured. “You go first. I wouldn't want you to be left behind.”</p><p class="western">Still a little wary, Alice walked forward and placed both hands on the mirror. Sure enough, her hands slid into the glass. With one last glance at Anna, she stepped forward and disappeared into the surface of the mirror, which rippled like water before returning to its usual flatness. Anna followed her.</p><p class="western">It always felt strange pushing her body through the mirror. Her skin prickled all over, like she was passing through cold water, and then the darkness around her began to shimmer. By the time her eyes focused, she was back in the prison.</p><p class="western">The place was a mess. Half the cells doors hung off their hinges, while others had been torn clean off. The prisoners that remained peered out from behind their bars. Last time Anna and Black had tallied them up, there had been twenty-three. She wouldn't have been surprised if less than half remained.</p><p class="western">Up ahead, Alice sat on her knees over a figure lying motionless on their back. Anna's heart leaped. Even in the low light, she knew at once who it was.</p><p class="western">Black's eyes were wide open, but from their glassy look, the life had left them long ago. Splashes of blood stained his suit jacket.</p><p class="western">“He's dead.” Tears rolled down Alice's cheeks as she looked up at Alice.</p><p class="western">Despite the lump rising to her throat, Anna shook her head. “No, he's not.” The sight of Black lying out before her like this was hardly a shock. After all, she'd seen him like this once before at the same hands of the one who'd done it now.</p><p class="western">She lifted her head and scoured the room, but Blood was already gone. It was hard to believe that one man could have caused so much damange. Then again, the Hatter had always been a formidable force. She could give him that one compliment, if nothing else.</p><p class="western">A sickly sweet laugh brought her attention to the shadows at the side of the room. Anna's eyes narrowed as a figure in a long red coat emerged from the darkness, a smile on his face.</p><p class="western">“Why are you here, Ace?” she mumbled.</p><p class="western">“<em>So</em> much hostility over nothing. You should be thanking me.” Turning his eyes to Alice, he said, “I saw the whole thing. Your Hatter was utterly ruthless. He shot Joker straight through the chest. Would have done the same to me if I hadn't managed to overpower him.”</p><p class="western">Alice's voice was little more than a whisper. “Why would he do such a thing?”</p><p class="western">“Beats me,” said Ace with a shrug.</p><p class="western">Anna wanted to ask why he hadn't gone after him yet. After all, Ace was just about the only person in the world who she knew could put up a fight against the Hatter. And yet here he was, gloating over the situation once again.</p><p class="western">“What about the prisoners?” Alice asked.</p><p class="western">“Gone.” Ace took slow steps forward until he came to a stop at Black's feet. “I imagine they were ecstatic to break free after Blood opened their cells.”</p><p class="western">Wiping the tears from her eyes, Alice stood up. “We have to go after them.”</p><p class="western">Of course, Anna knew the real reason for her enthusiasm. She needed to find Blood. What she'd do when she <em>did</em> manage to track him down, of course, was anyone's guess. Anna had seen Alice when she was pissed off. She only hoped Blood had prepared himself.</p><p class="western">With a smirk, Ace held out a black gloved hand to Alice. She took it reluctantly and allowed herself to be led off into the darkness. When Anna looked behind her, she was alone.</p><p class="western">Frowning, she bent over and closed Black's eyes. His skin felt cold beneath her fingers. Then she walked to the door at the end of the end of the room and opened it.</p><p class="western">The figure on the other side of the desk looked up as she entered. He seemed completely unsurprised, as if he'd been anticipating her arrival for a while. Anna couldn't help but smile.</p><p class="western">“Alice was pretty shocked when she saw your body,” she said.</p><p class="western">“Not my fault she doesn't know how things work.” Black put down his pen and steepled his fingers beneath his chin. He was unique among the residents of this world in that no matter how many times he was killed, he would always come back minutes later. It was one of the perks that came with his role.</p><p class="western">“Blood is still on the loose.”</p><p class="western">“I know,” said Black. “I sent Ace out to bring him back. Not that it'll make a difference. That bastard is so slippery I doubt even the Executioner will be able to catch him.”</p><p class="western">Anna had to agree with him there. She'd suspected for a while now that Blood's plan had been leading up to this. Why else would he have come here? It seemed like an unexpectedly kind gesture on his behalf, releasing prisoners so that Anna could round them up and prove that she was worthy of her role to Black. Then again, Blood enjoyed sowing chaos to the point that she was sure he'd done it for himself as much as for her.</p><p class="western">For some reason, she didn't feel as awkward talking to Black as she'd anticipated. Perhaps it was because she now had a way to prove herself to him.</p><p class="western">“I'll help them round the prisoners up,” she said, walking forwards and placing her hands on the desk.</p><p class="western">Black looked up at her, the hint of a smile lifting the corners of his mouth. “Finally, you're doing something worthy of your role.”</p><p class="western">Anna couldn't hold back the flush of scarlet across her cheeks. Seeing her reaction, Black smirked. The curve of his lips was so plush, so inviting, that Anna couldn't help herself. She leaned over and pressed her mouth to his.</p><p class="western">It was a short, sweet kiss, but it made Anna's heart pound. She pulled back quickly, wide-eyed, not quite believing what she'd just done.</p><p class="western">“I-I'm sorry,” she stammered.</p><p class="western">For a moment, Black looked just as shocked as her. Then he laughed. The sound was brief and lyrical, far from White's taunting cackle.</p><p class="western">“Get yourself out there,” he said.</p><p class="western">Anna straightened up and nodded. It would be hard work, but she already had Alice and Ace on her side. Not only that, this was an opportunity to improve her standing with Joker. Whatever happened in the future, she was sure things would work out fine. At least, that was what she hoped.</p><p class="western">Then again, what was love without hope?</p><p class="western">Shooting him one final smile, Anna turned around and made her way out of the room. She could do this. Maintaining the order of the Prison was part of her role, just like helping out with the Circus. This was her chance to prove that.</p><p class="western">She caught one final glimpse of Black's smile before closing the door behind her.</p><p class="western">Things were going to be all right between them. She knew it in her heart.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Part 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After helping Ace clear up after Blood's stunt, an enraged Alice tracks the Hatter down, only for him to antagonise her further. Black suggests a solution.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">“That's the last of them.”</p><p class="western">Anna panted with exhaustion as she came to a stop near Ace, who was dragging the final faceless prisoner to his knees by his hair.</p><p class="western">“How do you know?” she asked.</p><p class="western">“Oh, I don't,” said Ace with forced cheerfulness. “I mean that's the last I'll take the effort to catch by hand. If I see any more running around, I'll go in with my sword.” He looked down at the man kneeling at his feet. “Did you hear that? You got lucky enough to be caught right at the end of my good mood.”</p><p class="western">“Th-thank you,” the faceless whimpered.</p><p class="western">Anna's heart clenched at the sight before her. It wasn't the prisoners' fault they'd gone missing. Sure, they shouldn't have run, but it was Blood who'd opened their cells in the first place. <em>He</em> should be the one captured right now.</p><p class="western">As if he could read her mind, Ace turned to her and said, “No luck catching the Hatter, then, I take it?”</p><p class="western">Despite the softness of his voice, Anna couldn't help but feel like she was being accused. Black had truster her with the task of bringing Blood to justice, after all. His stupid stunt had taken them almost five time periods to clean up, and that wasn't counting the other prisoners probably wandering around the world at this very moment.</p><p class="western">She shook her head. “I lost his trail. He's sneaky.”</p><p class="western">“Tell me something I don't know.” Ace let go of the prisoner's hair, straightened to his full height and withdrew his sword, which he placed on the poor man's shoulder. Anna had no doubts that the moment he moved without permission, his head would end up on the floor at his side. “I've been trying to bring Blood in ever since he broke Elliot out of jail. He thinks he can keep getting away with breaking the rules. This time, I'll prove him wrong.” He shot Anna a grin. “Providing you can find him, of course.”</p><p class="western">The sudden change in his expression made Anna shiver. She'd never had a problem with Ace herself, but knew how quickly he could switch from his usual cheerful personality to a bloody rampage.</p><p class="western">“Don't worry. I will,” she said. “In fact, I think I have an idea where he might be.”</p><p class="western">Ace read the meaning behind her words and laughed. “Are you sure? Not even the Hatter is <em>that</em> arrogant.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">*</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">As it turned out, Anna was correct. Blood really <em>was</em> that arrogant.</p><p class="western">She found him in the garden of his manion, sipping tea at the long table around the back with Elliot and the Bloody Twins, the latter of whom were squabbling over something. He raised his cup to her in greeting as she approached along the path.</p><p class="western">“Welcome, Anna. We were having a bet as to how long it would take you to arrive.”</p><p class="western">Anna couldn't believe her ears. “A... bet?”</p><p class="western">“Mm.” Blood turned to the hare by his side, a smirk on his face. “Looks like I owe you, Elliot. Longer than I thought.”</p><p class="western">Swallowing back her anger, Anna walked forward until she was standing over Blood. The Twins stopped their argument behind her, presumably to watch her face up to their boss. Not that she cared at this point. “You think this is all a joke, don't you? Ace is out there looking for you. If you don't turn yourself in, he'll kill you.”</p><p class="western">“Ace has been trying to kill me for as long as I can remember,” said Blood, as unbothered as if she'd just pointed out the colour of the sky. “What makes you think he has any more of a chance now?”</p><p class="western">As usual, his audacity left Anna speechless. He just didn't care.</p><p class="western">“Besides.” Blood placed his teacup down on his saucer and turned in his chair to look up at her. “You're forgetting I did all this for you. To help you claw back some credibility with Joker after your blunder in the forest.”</p><p class="western">Anna's voice came out as a growl. “My <em>blunder</em>? You threw the whole Prison into chaos and compare it to a tiny mistake I made leading Alice out of a nightmare?”</p><p class="western">“You have a point. Then again, I'm not on a little mission to impress Joker, am I?”</p><p class="western">Rage flashed through Anna's mind. She'd trusted Blood with her feelings, and now here he was, throwing it back in her face. It was obvious that he thought of it all – the ransacking of the Prison, the faceless escaping, Ace being out to get him – as some kind of twisted entertainment. Never in her life had she met someone so selfish, egoistical and downright <em>irritating</em>.</p><p class="western">Before she could stop herself, her hand flew under her skirt to the pouch of poisoned needles strapped to her thigh. She rarely had to use them and always kept them on her as more of a safety precaution. She whipped out a couple and aimed them at Blood's face. Two or even three wouldn't kill him. At worst, the poison would make him sluggish or even pass out. More importantly, it would finally get him to shut up.</p><p class="western">Elliot leapt to his feet and reached for his gun. Blood, on the other hand, stayed exactly as he was. He glanced down at the needles in Anna's hand with a look of amusement, as if she were brandishing a toy.</p><p class="western">Only when she felt something sharp press against the side of her neck did Anna look behind her. Both Twins had their axes pointed at her neck. The usual laid-back expressions on their faces had been replaced with cold, hard anger. There was no mistaking those looks: if she so much as touched the Hatter, they'd swing.</p><p class="western">Silence fell upon the garden, so thick that the only sounds Anna could hear were the light wind rattling through the trees and her own blood pumping in her temples. As her rage subsided, she felt the weight of the weapons pointed at her more keenly. Then, at last, she lowered her needles and sighed.</p><p class="western">There was no way she could win, not with the four of them against her. Besides, she wasn't a violent person. If Blood wouldn't come with her willingly, there was no way she could drag him alone, even if he was unconscious.</p><p class="western">Blood's smirk grew wider as she replaced the needles in her pouch. He gestured to Elliot and the Twins, who lowered their weapons reluctantly, before standing up and leaning over Anna. In a voice that was lower and more dangerous than Anna had ever heard him use, he muttered, “Very few people who point a weapon at me survive. Count yourself lucky I've let you live. Also, tell Joker that if he wants me that badly, he can send Ace to come and get me himself. I'll be waiting for him. Now, get out of my territory before I change my mind.”</p><p class="western">Anna didn't need to be told twice. With one final, scathing look at Blood, she turned and walked back along the path. There was nothing more she could do.</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">*</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">“I hate him.”</p><p class="western">Black raised an eyebrow from his seat behind his desk. “So you said.”</p><p class="western">“I know. Sorry.” Anna had been pacing his office at the back of the Prison for over ten minutes now, resisting the urge to punch or kick something. Not that she'd do something that bold in front of her boss. She rarely got this angry, but something about the Hatter just wound her the wrong way.</p><p class="western">“It's fine,” said Black, smiling slightly. “Let it all out. Better you do that than break the rules.”</p><p class="western">“You know I'd never do that.” She paused. “Well...” It seemed a little hypocritical of her to say that when it had been her breaking the rules to help Alice in the first place that had led to this situation. Perhaps that was part of what fuelled her tantrum. She'd messed everything up. And while the prisoners were back in their cells and everything had more or less been sorted out, she still felt like an idiot about it all.</p><p class="western">She turned and looked at Black. The last time she'd been in this room, they'd shared their first kiss together. The memory was still heavy on Anna's mind. She thought she'd be more flustered being this close to Black, but he seemed to act as if nothing had happened between them, which was probably for the best. Anna's emotions were in enough of a mess without adding in the second-hand embarrassment from knowing they'd kissed.</p><p class="western">As always, it was impossible to tell from Black's face alone what he was thinking. Could it be that he was remembering that moment as well? She suddenly wanted to ask him about it, but of course, she wouldn't dream of doing so. He'd probably laugh her off, maybe even taunt her just like Blood did for having such silly little feelings.</p><p class="western">The sound of Black clearing his throat brought her back to the present. “I was meaning to ask you, actually. I have a job I need to do later on. As my assistant, I need you to help me with it.”</p><p class="western">“I can do that,” said Anna. Usually, it was White who asked her for help with his errands, even though her place was in the Prison.</p><p class="western">Instead of thanking her, Black gave a small grunt. “Good. Meet me at the edge of the forest east of the Clock Tower at the beginning of the next evening period.”</p><p class="western">That made Anna raise an eyebrow. “The forest?” She knew the spot he was talking about, but the idea of Black stepping beyond the Prison was rare enough to make her pause. She'd only seen it happen a few times before.</p><p class="western">“Is there an echo in here?” snapped Black. “<em>Yes</em>, the forest.”</p><p class="western">“Okay, okay.” Anna raised her hands defensively as he returned his attention to the papers on his desk. “I'll be there.”</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">*</p><p class="western"> </p><p class="western">As predicted, the time between Anna leaving the Prison and the next evening period passed painfully slowly. It seemed the world was determined to keep switching between night and day, as if some outside force were playing a cruel joke on her. With nothing else to do, she stayed near the Clock Tower, walking around town anxiously or waiting in the shadow of the huge hourglass-shaped building where Julius, the Clockmaker, lived. She had no idea what kind of job required Black to leave his lair, but something told her it wasn't good.</p><p class="western">By the time evening fell, Anna's nerves were fried.</p><p class="western">Black was waiting for her by the forest as she ran over, just as he'd promised. He looked so strange in his long black boots, hat and warden's jacket, though she guessed that was more to do with the fact that he was wearing it outside than the outfit itself.</p><p class="western">“Quicker than I thought,” he said.</p><p class="western">Anna came to a stop in front of him, a little out of breath from her run. “I was in the area.”</p><p class="western">“Waiting for me? You couldn't have had much else to do, then. Seems I'm not working you hard enough.” Despite his harsh words, the hint of a smirk lit up Black's face.</p><p class="western">Anna rolled her eyes. If she'd been late to their meeting, he'd have scolded her for that, as well. There was just no way to win with this man.</p><p class="western">“Come on.” Black turned on his heel and began to walk along the path leading into the forest. Only then did Anna notice the black bag hanging from the crook of his elbow.</p><p class="western">She knew it wasn't wise to ask too many questions when it came to her boss, but she couldn't help herself. “Black, where are we going?”</p><p class="western">“Into the trees,” he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Now, shut up. It'll make sense when we get there.”</p><p class="western">They travelled along the path in single file, Black in front while Anna followed. With a height difference of almost a foot between them, Anna had to walk a little faster than normal to keep up with his long strides.</p><p class="western">After about ten minutes of silent walking, Black stopped and looked around. Soft orange sunlight filtered down through the canopy, making the buckle on his hat gleam.</p><p class="western">“Right, this way,” he muttered, and headed into the bushes.</p><p class="western">Anna paused before following. She hadn't brought the right footwear for going off the path, and though it never rained here outside of April Season, the ground felt damp beneath her feet. Hitching her skirt up so that it wouldn't tear against the bushes, she followed the path Black forged for her. She still had no idea what they were doing here, or how it related to either of their roles.</p><p class="western">Up ahead, the trees seemed to part. Anna realised they were walking towards a little clearing. With a last push through the undergrowth, she came out into the space beside Black.</p><p class="western">“We've arrived,” he said.</p><p class="western">“Arrived?” Anna looked around, not sure what she was supposed to be seeing but finding nothing but forest anyway. “Arrived where?”</p><p class="western">“Somewhere secluded.”</p><p class="western">Brushing flecks of dirt and leaves from her dress skirt, Anna said, “Why, are you planning on punishing me away from the prisoners for not bringing Blood in?” She'd meant it as a joke, but as the words left her, she felt her face fall.</p><p class="western">“Unfortunately, no,” said Black, placing the bag on the floor and reaching in. Anna watched with bated breath as he rooted around inside. “Let the Hatter bask in his false sense of security for a while longer. Besides, he has the Outsider to keep him company now.”</p><p class="western">Anna frowned. What an unusually gentle thing for him to say. The Joker she knew would be rattling off a string of insults right now, cursing Blood for undermining his authority and sending the Prison into disarrary.</p><p class="western">Leaning back on his calves, Black pulled a rolled green wrap of some kind from his bag. He flicked his wrists, and Anna realised that it was a thin, square blanket. He spread it out on the floor of the clearing and took a seat, then motioned for her to sit beside him.</p><p class="western">She had to be dreaming, Anna thought. The idea of Black doing something like this, simple though it may be, was just too much believe. Nevertheless, she took her place at his side, making sure to keep a respectable distance between them.</p><p class="western">For a few minutes, neither of them said anything. Anna sneaked a look at Black's face. His one visible eye stared off into the forest, as if he were transfixed by something he could see between the trees. Or maybe he simply stalling for something to say. Anna wasn't sure anymore.</p><p class="western">Finally, he gave a low, frustrated snort. “As if I'm supposed to know what the fuck to do in these situations.”</p><p class="western">“Hmm?” Anna looked up at him again. “What kind of situations?”</p><p class="western">Black shook his head and snapped, “It doesn't matter. Are you feeling any better now?”</p><p class="western">“I don't know what you're—”</p><p class="western">She cut herself off as it hit her. A memory of her marching around Black's office, shouting about how frustrated she was with Blood, appeared in her head. Had he brought her out here to calm her down?</p><p class="western">But that didn't make <em>sense</em>. Black would never think to do something like that for her. All he cared about was whether or not she fulfilled her role. Her emotions had always been no more than an inconvenience.</p><p class="western">She studied his expression, looking for any signs of mockery. What she found instead was a vulnerability she'd never have associated with him before. She saw it in the press of his eyebrows, the slight colour to his cheeks that the evening sunlight couldn't quite disguise. He was flustered.</p><p class="western">“I-I don't know,” said Anna.</p><p class="western">“Last time I listen to <em>him</em> for advice,” Black muttered.</p><p class="western">“'Him'? You mean Ace.”</p><p class="western">Black's scowl told her she'd hit the nail on the head.</p><p class="western">“What?” he snapped, noticing Anna's grin.</p><p class="western">“I'm sorry. The thought of you taking advice from someone like Ace is just... Well, it's odd.”</p><p class="western">As Black's scowl deepened, so too did the colour in his cheeks. He turned and looked out at the forest again. “This spot is special. No matter how many times the world changes, switches from Diamond to Heart to Clover, there are a few places that always stay the same. This forest is one of them. Nobody ever comes here.” He glanced at Anna with his usual sadistic glint in his eye. “If I left you here on your own, you wouldn't be able to find your way back for a long time.”</p><p class="western">Anna was about to remind him that they'd only been walking for about ten minutes, but she stopped. The forests in Wonderland could be treacherous sometimes, especially when you stepped off the path, as they had. Even if this was a spot that never changed, it didn't mean that the forest itself never shifted, turning anyone unfortunate enough to get lost around and and around, so that they wandered for time periods, never quite finding the path again.</p><p class="western">“You forget,” said Anna with a smug smile. “I have my own ways of navigating.”</p><p class="western">She held out a hand, and at her command, a butterfly flitted towards her from between the trees. This one had glossy purple wings, and as it came to perch on her fingertip, it slowly opened and closed them, as if showing off its colours for the pair of them. Whenever she was lost, Anna knew that all she had to do was send her butterflies up ahead and they'd point the way.</p><p class="western">“Hmm.” If Black had any interest in what Anna was showing him, it didn't last long. Putting his hands behind his head, he fell back onto the blanket and sighed softly.</p><p class="western">Anna spread her fingers wide, prompting the butterfly to take flight again. Then she leaned over Black. His eye was hooded, as if he were on the verge of falling asleep.</p><p class="western">“Are you okay?” she asked, a little uncertainly.</p><p class="western">He grabbed her by the hand suddenly, making her jump. His long fingers easily wrapped all the way around her wrist, his skin surprisingly warm against hers.</p><p class="western">“For my assistant, you have pathetically small hands,” he muttered.</p><p class="western">Although it was worded as an insult, Anna somehow felt like she was being paid a compliment.</p><p class="western">Her smile fell, however, when Black, still staring at her hand, said, “You kissed me a few time periods ago. Why?”</p><p class="western">Anna felt like he'd just turned a gun on her. So, this was the real reason he'd brought her out here, was it? Not to calm her down or take a break from the Prison, but to interrogate her. She could always lie, say it was an accident, a mistake she'd made in the spur of the moment instead of a result of feelings that had been building up for a while now.</p><p class="western">But deep down, she knew Black wouldn't accept that. Cold though his voice may be, she remembered how flustered he'd looked a few minutes ago when they'd first sat down together. He knew something was on her mind.</p><p class="western">She swallowed. If she didn't take the chance now, she never would.</p><p class="western">Anna tried to keep her words level as she said, “I guess I... like you.”</p><p class="western">She could hear Blood's voice in her head, taunting her for her feelings back in the garden. <em>I'm not on a little mission to impress Joker, am I?</em> She'd never felt like more of a stupid child in that moment, and now here she was, forcing herself through it all again.</p><p class="western">She wasn't quite sure how she'd expected Black to react, but it certainly wasn't with the words: “Then do it again.”</p><p class="western">Anna's eyes flew open wide. “Wh-what?”</p><p class="western">“If you like me, prove it. Do it again.”</p><p class="western">A hint of arrogance lingered in the turn of Black's mouth. Too shocked to do anything but obey, Anna pushed her head down, pausing every second or so to gauge the look in his eye, before pressing her lips to his. Just like the last one they'd shared over his desk, she kept it short, a simple peck that sent her heart racing nonetheless.</p><p class="western">Black chuckled softly as she pulled back.”Interesting.”</p><p class="western">“What do you mean?” whispered Anna. She was leaning over him now, propped up on her arms. Knowing their bodies were just inches from touching made her cheeks burn almost as much as the kiss.</p><p class="western">“You were telling the truth,” he said. “But you're doing it wrong.”</p><p class="western">Before Anna could ask what he meant, he took her chin in his hand and pulled her into another kiss. This time, his lips parted against her, and Anna felt her breath hitch in her throat. He led their lips in a slow dance, his tongue tracing the opening of her mouth but never fully entering it, as if he were deliberately trying to tease her.</p><p class="western">By the time they broke apart, Anna's head was spinning. She'd never been touched like that before. They'd only been joined for a few seconds, but looking into Black's eye, she felt like something had changed between them, more so than the last time they'd kissed. She wanted more of him. All of him.</p><p class="western">“How long have you known?” she asked.</p><p class="western">“That you like me?” Black shrugged. “I've had an inkling for a while now. I didn't want to be presumptuous by bringing it up, but then the Hatter broke into the Prison, and everything started to make sense.”</p><p class="western">Anna stiffened. “You knew about that?”</p><p class="western">He nodded and said, “It wasn't difficult to put two and two together. I assumed that after I'd scolded you for interfering with the Outsider, you'd come up with some scheme to try and win back my trust. I just wasn't expecting something so... extreme.”</p><p class="western">“It wasn't my idea. I didn't know Blood was going to do something like that,” said Anna quickly, then paused. “You don't seem angry about it.”</p><p class="western">“Oh, I was angry. But now that everything has been returned to its rightful place, I can look back on the incident as what it was: a great amusement in an otherwise uneventful life.”</p><p class="western">Taking Anna by the shoulders, he pushed her back against the blanket and rolled so that he was on top of her. With the weight of his body and his gaze both pinning her down, Anna felt her flush deepen to the point where her whole face felt like it was on fire.</p><p class="western">“You're a very interesting person, Anna,” said Black. His face was only inches from her, the tips of his red hair tickling her cheeks. “More than worthy of being my assistant.”</p><p class="western">“What about your lover?” she asked.</p><p class="western">Black laughed again. “Bold today, aren't you? I've never loved another person before. I don't know if I'm capable of doing so. The only love I have is for my role. But I'm willing to entertain your feelings, if that's what you wish of me.”</p><p class="western">Realising that was the best she could ask for, at least for now, Anna nodded. “I do.”</p><p class="western">“Wonderful,” said Black, lowering his lips to hers.</p><p class="western">Perhaps after all of this, things would end up going back to how they were before. Perhaps the moment he stepped inside the Prison again, Black would revert back to the mean, short-tempered man who couldn't care less about her feelings. But that was okay. Because something <em>had</em> changed between them. Anna could sense it in the way he kissed her, the gentleness in his hands as he ran them up and down her sides. He may never love her in the way she wanted him to, but for now, she was fine with that.</p><p class="western">Being close to him was enough.</p>
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